Waive Fires Back at Omo-Agege Over FMC Ovwian Bill, Says Documents Can’t Disprove Private Conversation

The member representing Ughelli North, Ughelli South and Udu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Francis E. Waive, has responded to former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege over the controversy surrounding the proposed Federal Medical Centre, Ovwian.

Waive said the existence of presidential approval for the establishment of the Federal Polytechnic, Orogun, does not by itself disprove his account of a private conversation with Omo-Agege concerning the FMC Ovwian Bill.

The lawmaker made the clarification in a statement issued by his media office on Monday, September 21, 2026, following a response from Omo-Agege’s camp challenging his account of events surrounding the bill.

According to Waive, the issue relates to an alleged conversation after the Federal Medical Centre, Ovwian Bill passed first reading in the House of Representatives on July 21, 2020. He alleged that Omo-Agege asked for the bill to be stepped down because it conflicted with his proposed Federal Polytechnic, Orogun legislation.

Waive further claimed that while he assisted Omo-Agege’s Polytechnic Bill through concurrence in the House, Omo-Agege subsequently frustrated the FMC Ovwian Bill. He maintained that documentary evidence concerning the Polytechnic could not, on its own, establish what was or was not said during a private conversation.

“If Senator Omo-Agege’s position is that the conversation never happened, the appropriate response is simply to deny the conversation and provide whatever evidence he considers necessary to support his position,” Waive said.

Omo-Agege’s camp, however, has disputed the allegation. His Special Adviser on Strategy and Communications, Godwin Anaughe, said documents from the National Assembly and presidential correspondence contradicted Waive’s account. Anaughe said presidential approval for the Federal Polytechnic, Orogun, was confirmed on February 23, 2021, while Waive’s FMC Ovwian Bill, identified as HB. 989, reached second reading in November 2021 and third reading in September 2022.

The Omo-Agege camp has therefore challenged Waive to provide evidence of the alleged conversation, including details such as when and where it took place. Waive, meanwhile, said the debate should focus on verifiable facts rather than personal attacks, adding that his legislative record was available for public scrutiny.

The dispute has now centred on two separate questions: what the documentary record shows about the timelines of the two proposed federal institutions, and whether a private conversation between the two politicians took place. Neither side has publicly produced independent documentary evidence establishing the contents of the alleged conversation.

Waive also rejected claims that his legislative record depended on any individual, saying he was elected to represent the people of Ughelli North, Ughelli South and Udu. He urged people in Delta Central to distinguish between documented records and claims about private discussions.

The lawmaker said he remained committed to his account of the events surrounding the FMC Ovwian Bill and challenged Omo-Agege to address the substance of the allegation rather than focus on his person, faith, family or political history.